The low voter turnout in the Canadian Wheat Board director elections demonstrates that bona fide farmers have rejected the election process, says the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.
“Retired and hobby farmers skew the election results,” says Kevin Bender, President of the Wheat Growers. “The votes of those of us who depend on farming for our livelihood are cancelled out by those who have little economic stake in the outcome.”
Voter turnout in the election was just 41%, down significantly from the 53% in the election held just two years ago.
Contributing to the low turnout are several deficiencies in the election process including:
An initial voters list that is compiled from CWB permit book records. The CWB has sole authority over determining who does or does not receive a permit book.
Not being representative of active wheat and barley growers. The voters list automatically includes many retired farmers but excludes farmers who sell their wheat and barley in the off-board feed market.
A bias against those farm families who have incorporated. Such farms receive only one ballot whereas unincorporated farms can often have several.
No weighting of ballots or minimum tonnage threshold. Those who grow as little as one tonne of grain are eligible to receive a ballot. One tonne is the amount of grain that can be produced from a good-sized garden plot.
The Wheat Growers remain determined to gain marketing freedom through legislative or regulatory changes that would give each and every farmer the freedom to sell their grain to any buyer, including a voluntary CWB.
“Each individual farmer should have the right to decide what is best for their farm,” says Bender. “Other Canadians, including farmers in Ontario enjoy the right to sell their property to a buyer of their choice. Denying western farmers this same freedom is an affront to democracy.”
